Cervical shield



Dec. 31, 1957 M. LEFF CERVICAL SHIELD 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 22, 1954 INVENTOR. Noe/91c LEFF, ND

4 7TOP/YE Y Dec. 31, 1957 LEFF 7 2,818,064

CERVICAL SHIELD Filed June 22, 1954 3 s s 2 1N VEN TOR.

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Dec. 31, 1957 M. LEFF 2,818,06

CERVICAL SHIELD June 22, 3 sh t s t 3 'IIIIIIIIIIII;

7 INVENTOR.

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BYfl, 6 (36 CERVICAL SLD Morris Leif, New York, N. Y.

Application June 22, 1954, Serial No. 438,479

6 Claims. (Cl. 128-127) The present invention relates to a cervical shield for protecting the human uterus against the entrance of foreign materials and, more particularly, it relates to a cervical shield which may be permanently worn.

To date, not one successful permanent type of cervical shield has been devised. All of the previously suggested forms of permanent type cervical shields have had many disadvantages which rendered them useless. For one thing, they generally slipped out of position thereby leaving the entrance to the uterus unprotected and exposed. In addition, they were of such form and nature as to induce local irritation in the vaginal vault so that they could not be worn for any considerable period of time.

In accord with my invention, I have provided a permanently worn type of cervical shield comprising an annular member which is permanently fitted around the neck of the uterus or cervix, as it is called, and through which menstrual waste may flow. Cap means are provided with this annular member so as to close or seal the entrance to the uterus when it is desired to prevent foreign materials from entering the womb. As will be seen below, I have provided several forms and modifications of my cervical shield, all of which are simple in construction, inexpensive to produce and easy to manipulate. In addition, my invention comprises novel means and methods for permanently attaching the annular member to the cervix.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cervical shield which can be permanently attached to the neck of the human uterus so as to prevent the entrance of foreign materials into the uterus.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cervical shield which permits the exit of menstrual waste from the uterus during periods of menstruation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a cervical shield of the above described character which does not interfere with the bodily comfort of the wearer, which will not induce irritation of the vaginal vault, and which will constantly remain in proper position.

Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cervical shield of the above described character which will not impair or interfere with periodic hygienic irrigation of the vaginal vault.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent as it is described in detail below with particular reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a fragmentary, diagrammatic, sagittal section of the human body showing one form of my cervical shield in position in the cervix;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing one form of my cervical shield in closed position;

Figure 3 is a perspective view similar to Figure 2, but showing the cervical shield in open position;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on lines 4-4- of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken on lines 55 of Figlire 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

2,818,664 Patented Dec. 31, 1957 Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on lines 6-6 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view showing one manner of attaching my cervical shield to the cervix;

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view showing another manner of attaching my cervical shield to the cervix;

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional View showing still a further manner of attaching my cervical shield to the cervix;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing a still further means for attaching my cervical shield to the cervix;

Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view of the device shown in Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken on lines 211-480 of Figure 10 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 13 is an exploded sectional view taken on lines 2121 of Figure 11 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and,

Figure 14 is a sectional view taken on lines 22-22 of Figure 10 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

With particular reference to Figures 1 through 6, there is shown a cervical shield 10 comprising a cup-shaped portion 11 having an annular wall 12. A circular bottom portion 13 integrally joins the lower edges of the annular wall 12 and is concentric therewith. An orifice 14 is centrally located in the bottom portion 13 so that the cup-shaped portion 11 may be considered as being open at its top and partially open at its bottom. An outwardly extending flange 15 is disposed around the upper part of the cup-shaped portion 11 and is integral therewith. The top of this flange 15 is flush with the top edge of the annular wall 12 so as to present a continuous surface. A small pin 16 extends outwardly from the annular wall 12 at a point approximately midway down the wall.

Extending through flange 15 and annular wall 12 are a pair of small holes 17a and 17b which are adapted to receive a connecting pin for attaching the cervical shield 10 to the cervix. These holes 17a and 17b are so located that they lie along a chord of an imaginary circle defined by the annular wall 12. In other words, the distance between the holes 17a and 17b is less than the diameter of the annular wall 12. This arrangement of the holes 17a and 17b is necessary so that the connecting pin will not extend through the opening leading from the cervix into the uterus.

There is further provided a second cup-shaped portion 18 having an annular wall 19 and a circular bottom portion 20, which integrally joins the lower edges of the annular wall 19 and is concentric therewith. The cup-shaped portion 18 is adapted to receive in nesting relation the cup-shaped portion 11. as best seen in Figure 5. Unlike bottom portion 13 of cup-shaped portion 11, the bottom portion 20 has no opening so that when the bottom of the cup-shaped portion 11 is disposed against the bottom of the cup-shaped portion 18, the orifice 14 will be sealed or closed.

A plurality of spaced-apart orifices 21 are radially located around the lower portion of the annular wall 19 at a point slightly above the bottom portion 20. A vertical bayonet slot 22 adapted to receive pin 16 is located in the annular wall 19. This slot 22 limits the sliding movement of the cup-shaped portion 18. A pair of cylindrical sleeves 23 are integrally attached to opposite outer sides of the annular wall 19 and are adapted to receive the string 24, the ends of which are knotted as at 25 to prevent the string from coming out of the sleeves.

The annular wall 19 is of such height and of such thickness that when the cervical shield 10 is in the closed position, as seen in Figures 2 and 5. the upper edge of the annular wall will engage the lower edge of the flange 15 and the outer surface of the annular wall will lie flush with the outer surface of the flange.

When the cervical shield 10 is in the closed position, the orifice 14 is sealed by bottom portion 20 and orifices 21 are sealed by annular wall 12. In this way, no foreign material can pass through the cervical shield. 10 and into the uterus. When the cervical shield 10 is in open position, as seen in Figures 3 and 6, menstrual waste may pass from the uterus through orifice 14 and into cupshaped portion 18, from which it will then escape through orifices 21 and into the vaginal vault. It can thus be seen that cup-shaped portion 18 serves as a slidable cap to open and close the orifice 14 in the cup-shaped portion 11. The outer cup-shaped portion 18 is so fitted to inner cupshaped portion 11 that it will frictionally slide along the inner cup-shaped portion when subjected to moderate pressure and yet will normally remain in place along any point on the inner cup-shaped portion.

The cervical shield 10 may be attached to the cervix by" any of the methods shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9. With particular reference to that method shown in Figure 7, there is provided a pin 30 which extends through the previously described holes 17a and 17b in the annular wall 12 of the cup-shaped portion 11. This pin 30 has a rounded head 31, a thickened and externally threaded neck portion 32, and an elongated body portion 33 narrower in diameter than the neck portion. The hole 17a is internally threaded and of sufficient diameter to receive the threaded neck portion 32 of the pin 30. The hole 17b is smaller in diaemter than hole 1712 so that it will snugly receive the end of the body portion 33 of the pin 30.

The cervical shield 10 is mounted in position on the cervix 35 by a physician who first selects a shield of proper size for the particular patient and fits the cup-shaped portion 11 around the cervix so that the cervix is received therein, as seen in Figures and 6. The physician then inserts the pin 30 through hole 17a. the cervix 35 and into hole 17b. Since the pin 30 is threaded into position, the cervical shield will not come loose from the cervix 35. As is clearly seen in Figure 7. the pin 30 extends through the cervix 35 without impairing or interfering with the passage 36 leading from the cervix to the uterus.

When the wearer desires to seal the uterus against the entrance of foreign materials. the outer cup-shaped portion 18 is moved against the bottom of the cup-shaped portion 11 thereby closing the orifice 14. This can be done digitally or with the aid of an inserted rod. The cervical shield 10 will remain in the closed position so long as the wearer desires. During menstrual periods, the wearer opens the orifice 14 by pulling on the string 24 so as to move the cup-shaped portion 18 away from the bottom of the cup-shaped portion '11. The menstrual waste can then escape freely from the uterus.

Another method of attaching my cervical shield 10 is seen in Figure 8 wherein a pin 37 is used in conjunction with an annular locking collar 38. Where this form of attaching means is employed, the holes 17a and 17b in the flange of the cervical shield 10 are of the same diameter. The pin 37 is of such length that its ends are received snugly in the holes 17a and 17b. The ends of the pin 37 are bevelled so as to conform to the curvature of the flange 15. The annular locking collar 38, which is the same height as the flange 15, is tightly disposed over the flange so as to prevent the pin 37 from slipping out of holes 17a and 17b. In mounting the cervical shield 10 on the cervix 35, the physician fits the cup-shaped portion 11 to the cervix and then inserts the pin 37 through the holes 17a and 17b and the cervix 35. He next slips the annular locking collar 38 over the flange 15 so as to prevent the pin 37 from moving out of the holes 17a and 17b. The annular locking collar 38 remains snugly around the flange 15 and will not slip from the flange.

Another method of attaching the cervical shield 10 to the cervix 35 is shown in Figure 9. This particular method contemplates the use of a pair of opposing holes 17a and 17b which are offset from the diameter of the cervical shield 10, as previously described. 0n the opposite side 4 of the cervical shield 10, a corresponding pair of opposing holes 17c and 17d are likewise provided. All holes 17a, 17b, 17c and 17d are of equal diameter. A tubular sleeve 40 having a rounded head 41 extends from hole 17a to 1712 and is received therein. A pin 42 having a rounded head 43 extends through hole 17b and into the tubular sleeve 40. The rounded heads 41 and 43 are tilted so that they conform to the curvature of the flange 15 of the cervical shield 10. A similar tubular sleeve 44 and pin 45 are likewise provided for insertion in holes 170 and 17d. This particular arrangement will hold the cervical shield 10 firmly in position.

With reference to Figures 18 to 22, there is shown a further method of attaching my cervical shield to the cervix, which method may be employed with any of the cervical shields heretofore described. There is provided an annular collar having the cut-away portions 81 and 82 along its lower edge. The cut-away portions 81 and 82 may be defined as being located at the ends of an imaginary chord extending across the annular collar 80. In other words, the cut-away portions are ofiset from the diameter of the collar 80. The collar 80 is adapted to be closely fitted around the cervix 35 with the cut-away portions 81 and 82 facing away from the uterus, as seen in Figure 19.

In order to successfully apply the previously described forms of my invention to the collar 80, the cervical shields must have corresponding cut-away portions adapted to cooperate with the cut-away portions 81 and 82 of the collar 80. There is shown in Figure 19, a fragmentary annular top portion 83 of a cervical shield, which has been modified for use with the collar 80. The top edge of annular portion 83 has the cut-away portions 84 and 85 which face upwardly and are adapted to register with cut-away portions 81 and 82 when the top annular portion 83 is slipped over the annular collar 80. Disposed between the cut-away portions 84 and 85 of the cervical shield is an L-shaped bayonet slot 86 extending downwardly from the top edge of the annular portion 83. This slot 86 is adapted to receive the pin 87 which extends outwardly from the collar 80.

When the annular top portion 83 is slipped over the collar 80, the cut-away portions 84 and 85 register with the cut-away portions 81 and 82 to form a pair of ports 88 and 89 through which the pin 90 is inserted. As best seen in Figure 22, the pin 90 has a head 91 at either end. One of the heads 91 is removable so that the pin 90 can be easily inserted through the cervix 35. If desired, a bendable element may be employed in place of the removable head 91. In such case, it would be contemplated to employ an element which is afiixed to one end of the pin 90 and which lies smoothly against the sides thereof so as not to interfere with the insertion of the pin through the cervix 35. After insertion of the pin 90, the bendable element may be adjusted to serve as a stop element.

In using this particular method of attaching the cervical shield, the physician first places the collar 80 around the cervix 35 with the cut-away portions 81 and 82 facmg away from the uterus. Next, the pin 90 with its removable head 91 detached is inserted through the cutaway portion 81, the cervix 35 and cut-away portion 82, as seen in Figure 19. The removable head 91 is replaced on the pin 90 and the cervical shield is slipped over the collar 80 so that the bayonet pin 87 enters the L-shaped slot 86 and so that the ends of the pin extend through the cut-away portions 84 and 85 with the heads 91 positioned outside of the cervical shield. When the shield has been slid onto the collar 80 as far as it will go, it is then rotated so that the bayonet pin 87 extends into the farthest end of the L-shaped slot 86 thereby locking the collar 80 to the shield. At the same time as the shield is being rotated, the cut-away portions 84 and 85 will rotate so that their corrseponding edges 84a and 85a will engage the pin 90 so that the pin 90 is forced tightly against the corresponding edges 81a and 82a of the cut-away portions 81 and 82. Since the cervical shield is snugly fitted to the collar '80, it will not normally rotate in the opposite direction so as to become loose. Thus, it can be seen that the collar 80 is locked to the cervix 35 through means of double headed pin 90 and the cervical shield is locked to the collar 80 by means of bayonet pin 87 and L-shaped slot 86. When it is desired to remove the cervical shield, the shield is rotated until the pin 87 lies in the vertical portion of the L- shaped slot 86. Then the cervical shield is slid off the collar 80, the removable head 91 is removed from the pin 90 and the pin withdrawn from the cervix 35. Finally, the collar 80 is removed from the cervix 35.

As I have stated before, this particular method of attaching my cervical shield to the cervix may be employed with any of the forms of my invention heretofore described. It is only necessary that the particular cervical shield chosen be modified to include cut-away portions 84 and 85 and the L-shaped slot 86 so that it can cooperate with collar 80.

As also stated before, it is necessary for the physician to choose the particular size of cervical shield to be employed so that the cervix will fit snugly into the shield in a comfortable and yet close-fitting manner. When the cervical shield is so fitted, no foreign material can enter the uterus through the top of the cervical shield.

While the invention has been described in detail and shown with respect to the accompanying drawings, it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. For example, the outwardly extending flange shown at the top of the cervical shield of Figure 2 and at the top of the cervical shield of Figure 14 may be eliminated. Furthermore, my cervical shield can be made of any desirable metal, hard rubber or plastic material. Hence, it is desired to cover any and all forms and modifications of the invention which may come within the language and scope of any one or more of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cervical shield of the class described comprising a member adapted to fit around the neck of a human uterus, said member having a floor portion at one end thereof, an orifice in said floor portion, a sleeve member disposed around said member and slidable thereon, said sleeve member being closed at one end and having a plurality of radially disposed orifices.

2. A cervical shield of the class described comprising an annular member adapted to fit around the neck of a human uterus so that menstrual waste can flow from said uterus into said member, said member having a floor portion at one end thereof, an orifice in said floor portion, a sleeve member disposed around said annular member and slidable thereon, said sleeve member being closed at one end and having a plurality of radially disposed orifices.

3. A cervical shield of the class described comprising an annular member one end of which is adapted to fit around the neck of a human uterus, said member having a floor portion at its opposite end, an orifice in said floor portion, a sleeve member disposed around said annular member, said sleeve member being closed at one end and having a plurality of radially disposed orifices located above said closed end, said sleeve member 'being slidable on said annular member and adapted to close said orifice so as to prevent foreign material from entering said uterus.

4. A cervical shield of the class described comprising a cup-shaped member open at one end and closed at its opposite end, a second cup-shaped member open at one end and partially closed at its opposite end, said partially closed end being disposed Within said first-mentioned cup-shaped member, a plurality of orifices radially disposed around said first-mentioned cup-shaped member 5. A cervical shield of the class described comprising a cup-shaped member open at one end and closed at its opposite end, a second cup-shaped member disposed Within said first-mentioned cup-shaped member and being open at one end and partially closed at its opposite end, said open endadapted to fit onto the neck of a human uterus, said partially closed end being disposed within said first-mentioned cup-shaped member, a plurality of orifices radially disposed around said first-mentioned cups-haped member and located above the closed end thereof.

6. A cervical shield of the class described comprising an outer cup-shaped member open at one end and closed at its opposite end, an inner cup-shaped member open at one end and partially closed at its opposite end, said partially closed end disposed within said outer cup-shaped member, a plurality of orifices radially disposed around said outer cup-shaped member above said closed end, said outer cup-shaped member being slidable on said inner cup-shaped member and adapted to close said partially closed end so as to prevent foreign material from entering said uterus.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 21,588 Great Britain a- Sept. 29, 1896 355,943 Germany July 10, 1922 475,496 Germany Apr. 25, 1929 517,849 Germany Feb. 10, 1931 

